A View of the West Side of Tank Square (Lal Dighi) Calcutta (Kolkata) by James Baillie Fraser - 1826

his is plate 22 from James Baillie Fraser's 'Views of Calcutta and its Environs'. Fraser (1783-1856) arrived in Calcutta in 1814 and in six years produced these animated sketches of the busy city, published later as a collection of 24 superbly aquatinted plates. He included in his collection five views of Tank Square.

This image shows the square's west side, where "the gate to the tank faces Koila Ghat Street, on the right of which is the old export warehouse built up against the southern edge of the Old Fort". Part of the latter was demolished in 1819 to build up the new Customs House, which is outside the present view.

At the south-west corner of the Square, Council House Street leads down to Esplanade Row. On the corner of Council House Street and the square is the building where the first Public Exchange and Coffee House in Calcutta were situated. This did not perform very well, and was subsequently leased by Lord Wellesley for his College of Fort William.

Source: British Library (bl.uk)

A view of Barrackpore House, with the Reach of the River by James Baillie Fraser - 1826

This is plate ten from James Baillie Fraser's 'Views of Calcutta and its Environs'. Fraser (1783-1856) arrived in Calcutta in 1814 and in six years had produced animated sketches of the busy city. The collection includes two views at Barrackpore. This one shows a house that "the Marquess of Hastings had greatly extended, adding in 1814-15 a whole new storey".

In 1801 Marquess Wellesley had taken over as the Commander-in-Chief of the Army's residence at Barrackpore, 14 miles from Calcutta (Kolkata). He built Barrackpore House as a residence for future governors-general. On the left is the Memorial Hall, or Temple of Fame, a memorial to French and Dutch soldiers those who had died in the conquests of Mauritius and Java during the Napoleonic Wars.

Source: British Library (bl.uk)

A view of Serampore, from the Park at Barrackpore by James Baillie Fraser - 1826

This is plate 21 from James Baillie Fraser's 'Views of Calcutta and its Environs'. Fraser (1783-1856) arrived in Calcutta in 1814 and in six years produced these animated sketches of the busy city. The collection included two views at Barrackpore.

This one shows the view from Barrackpore Park across the river to Serampore or Srirampur, a Dutch settlement on the opposite bank laid out in the 'English Style' by Marquess Wellesley. In Bishop Heber's words: "The Governor General has a very pretty country residence at Barrackpore ... offering ... beautiful a display of turf, tree and flowering shrub..." Its extensive grounds contained a theatre, an aviary and a menagerie. It was also possible to ride around the park on the back of an elephant.


Source: British Library (bl.uk)

View of the Loll Bazaar and Portuguese Chapel Calcutta (Kolkata) by James Baillie Fraser - 1826

Plate 17 from James Baillie Fraser's 'Views of Calcutta and its Environs'. Fraser (1783-1856) arrived in Calcutta in 1814 and in six years produced these animated sketches of the busy city, published later as a collection of 24 superbly aquatinted plates. He included in this collection two views of the Lall Bazaar, "famous for its punch houses and other places of entertainment..."

At the east end of Lall Bazaar was the Bow Bazaar, sometimes called Boytaconnah Street. The accompanying text reads: "At its eastern end, where it joined the Circular Road stood a Catholic Church with its northern facade on Bow Bazaar. The Circular Road runs across the picture, while the tracks sweeping round from the left are those of carts heading eastwards to the Salt Water Lake. This is the church of Our Lady of Doris, begun in June 1809 and consecrated a year later, built by the munificence of Mrs Gracia Elizabeth."


Source: British Library (bl.uk)

A View of Esplanade Row Calcutta (Kolkata), from the River at Chandpaul Ghat by James Baillie Fraser - 1826

This is plate 5 from James Baillie Fraser's 'Views of Calcutta and its Environs'. Fraser (1783-1856) arrived in Calcutta in 1814 and in six years had produced these animated sketches of the busy city.

This view shows Esplanade Row from the vantage point of the Tank, or reservoir, which had been built at Chandpaul Ghat. The buildings shown are the Supreme Court of Calcutta and new town hall, with Government House in the distance, its southern gateways crossing Esplanade Row.

Source: British Library (bl.uk)

A view of Government House Calcutta (Kolkata), from the eastward by James Baillie Fraser - 1826

This is plate 3 from James Baillie Fraser's 'Views of Calcutta and its Environs'. Fraser (1783-1856) arrived in Calcutta in 1814 and in six years produced these animated sketches of the busy city. He devotes three views in his collection to the Government House, all of them taken along its eastern side. Government House was built by Marquess Wellesley, who had became Governor General in 1798. The architect Captain Charles Wyatt based his design on that of Kedleston Hall in Derbyshire, but with modifications dictated by the climate.

In this view, one of the gateways is shown in all its magnificence: "the main arch crowned by a lion and the side gates by sphinxes, while in front passes Lord Hastings' carriage procession, preceded by his silver-stick and mace bearers and followed by memebers of his bodyguard." Along the roof of Government House large Adjutant birds can be seen standing stiffly to

Source: British Library (bl.uk)

View of Calcutta (Kolkata) from the Glacis of Fort William by James Baillie Fraser - 1826

This is plate 15 from James Baillie Fraser's 'Views of Calcutta and its Environs'. Fraser (1783-1856) arrived in Calcutta in 1814 and in six years produced these animated sketches of the busy city, published later as a collection of 24 superbly aquatinted plates.

New arrivals to the city commented on their first sight of the Fort with its glacis, or gently sloping bank. Mrs Eliza Fay wrote in 1780: "Our fort is also so well kept and everything in such excellent order ... all the slopes, banks and ramparts, are covered with the richest verdure, which completes the enchantment of the scene."

Source: British Library (bl.uk)